I think the Newly Lane story was linked to the celler of the pub at the bottom of the lane. Don't know about the depth issue and how they would have known how deep to go to avoid the water but I suppose the canal was built after that time and during the industrial revolution but the river will have been present as its reported that they used it. Coal mines were sunk beneath the sea and drift mines so it's feasible that water could be avoided. Whether they exist or existed is debatable and what the reasons for tunnels is or was. There has been fascinating discoveries of tunnels and what they were used for historically so whether a myth or fact it's intreguing.

It's probably been metal detected by treasure hunters for years. The intreguing point remains a mystery, whether any tunnels exist. I take the point that the dissolution was a relatively passive and peaceful transition but the wars in the Country prior and after were particularly violent. The Country was ruled as atheist for periods with religion banned. Historic buildings, castles and churchs are notorious for having bolt holes, cellars, tunnels for escape routes as well as storage and safe housing. So it's feasible that there might be tunnels of some sort around the Abbey, whether they exist and what they might contain if they do exist is the whole point of the discussion. The Monks and monasteries were lived in by scholars so it could be argued that they were vulnerable as they could influence the public. They would also have collected valuables and have had to keep these safe from raids. It's not just the dissolution that will have promoted building tunnels, it's before that time that monks were vulnerable.

It's probably been metal detected by treasure hunters for years. The intreguing point remains a mystery, whether any tunnels exist. I take the point that the dissolution was a relatively passive and peaceful transition but the wars in the Country prior and after were particularly violent. The Country was ruled as atheist for periods with religion banned. Historic buildings, castles and churchs are notorious for having bolt holes, cellars, tunnels for escape routes as well as storage and safe housing. So it's feasible that there might be tunnels of some sort around the Abbey, whether they exist and what they might contain if they do exist is the whole point of the discussion. The Monks and monasteries were lived in by scholars so it could be argued that they were vulnerable as they could influence the public. They would also have collected valuables and have had to keep these safe from raids. It's not just the dissolution that will have promoted building tunnels, it's before that time that monks were vulnerable.

Kirkstall Abbey was built well after the times of raids on religious and monastic sites in England,by about 300 years.

The country was pretty stable when it was built,and even the goings on of King Stephen and Matilda would not have been a problem due to the veneration that these places were held in.

Dont forget that the Abbey museum was the gate house for the abbey,which means it would have had a perimeter wall of some degree,so it was pretty well shielded from would be transgressors.

It was only Henry VIII who decided (with a nod from Thomas Cromwell) that making himself head of the church in England would mean he could empty the abbeys of their wealth.

Probably no tunnels there then! The whole site was irresponsibly neglected for many years, as a child I lived in that area and it was subject to vandalism, abuse and practically no interest taken in it by the City council. It's recent history has seen a renaissance in its fortunes and keen interest taken in the estate which has been welcomed. Although metal detecting may be illegal on this site there was such a lack of interest in the site for years that I doubt anyone would have noticed if someone was waving a detector from side to side. The estate is massive or was massive and taking into account the whole of the Hawsworth Estate, woods and Moor Grange so it's pretty certain that the area will have been metal detected by enthusiasts.

I seem to remember reading somewere that the silver and gold relics used at Kirkstall Abbey have never been found.I used to do a lot of metal detecting years ago and was well read up on this type of information.No i have not looked for it nor have i found it if anyone did i would think they would not have to work again.

Sir William Cavendish gained great wealth from his position in the Exchequer, benefitting from the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

So it could be that the Devonshires trousered it. Certainly Bolton Abbey.

Ripon cathedral has a display of gold , silver and other sort of relics which somone there told me alot was rediscovered in the vaults i wonder how many of the churches and cathedrals have hidden treasure somewhere in the cellars.Do any other churches or cathedrals in or near to leeds have such a display? wouldnt all or most older churches have some sort of gold relics used for ceremonies and the like and if so what happened to them? or am i just been fantastical?